Minister of Oil stresses on developing Eridu field and investing in gas in West Qurna/2

INA-  BAGHDAD

Oil Minister Ihsan Abdul-Jabbar Ismail stressed Thursday the importance of developing the Eridu field and investing in gas in West Qurna/2.

 The ministry's media office said in a statement received by the Iraqi News Agency (INA), that "Oil Minister Ihsan Abdul-Jabbar Ismail received the Vice President of Lukoil for Central Asia, the Middle East and North Africa Stepan Gorji and his accompanying delegation."

The statement stressed the importance of "accelerating and directing the development and production operations of the Eridu field, which is located within the tenth exploration block located between the governorates of Muthanna and Dhi Qar, due to its importance in enhancing national production," noting that "the ministry is awaiting the approval of the Cabinet on the joint development program for the aforementioned field."

The minister praised "the developmental technical study prepared by Lukoil in cooperation with the national effort," expressing his hope to "begin production operations during the coming period."

 The Minister of Oil stressed "the necessity of continuing to develop the West Qurna 2 field within the development program, maintaining and increasing production, and working to improve economic indicators that are in the interest of both parties," pointing out "the importance of expediting the expansion of optimal investment projects for the associated gas from the aforementioned field."

Ismail praised, according to the statement, "the cooperation and joint work between the ministry and Lukoil to develop the oil and energy sector."